What you’ll learn:
- Why tracking DDS data is important.
- How the RTI Observability Framework works.
The data distribution service (DDS) is an open platform standard from the Object Management Group. DDS is the communications backbone for frameworks like the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) and the Robot Operating System (ROS). It can support applications that require high reliability and security, such as autonomous vehicles.
DDS uses a publish/subscribe pattern that allows for dynamic configuration, which can make tracing communication a challenge. Still, it’s very useful to know how applications communicate to find bugs and acquire information to help optimize system performance. This is where Real-Time Innovations’ (RTI) DDS Observability Framework comes into play (see figure). I talked with David Barnett, Vice President of Products and Markets, about the platform and the importance of DDS to developers (see video above).
RTI’s Connext family of DDS platforms provides a highly reliable, secure communication bus that can be plugged into applications regardless of the underlying communication network, which may span different subnets and communication protocols.
Applications can be augmented with the RTI Observability Library to communicate with the RTI Observability Collector Service. This service forwards log messages and metrics to third-party tools like Grafana Loki log aggregator and Prometheus metric system. These are typically used to track and manage diverse software environments that provide alerts and reports.
The environment is able to identify and localize problems, and subsequently address them. The framework can also be used to provide additional data to applications.